Railway car brake mechanism



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E. G. GOODS RAILWAY CAR BRAKE MECHANISM 11 Sheets-Sheet l March 7,1967

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E. G. GOODS RAILWAY CAR BRAKE MECHANISM ll Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

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' RAILWAY CAR BRAKE MECHANISM Filed Dec 11, 1964 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 I I INVENTOR. F ion 4H0 GT @0006.

March 7, 1967 a. a. GOODS RAILWAY CAR BRAKE MECHANISM ll Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 11, 1964 M. 7 T @A v v A o. w M W a n a a Z m 5 w T 1' VENTOR' fan/APO 60005 March 7, 1 95: 7 (5. 0005 3,307,659

RAILWAY GAR BRAKE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 11, 1964 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. @MRD 63 60005 OR EYS.

March 7, 1967 s. GOODS 3,307,659

RAILWAY CAR BRAKE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 11, 1964 11 Sheets-Sheet '7 V INVENTOR.

. my 1: if q fbn ARQ 6' 6000s BY W I i ofi March 7, 1967 E. a. GOODS 3,307,659

RAILWAY CAR BRAKE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 11, 1964 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 qfljl. L J

BY /2w/J 0/ WK M/ A ORNE s.

March- 7; 196-7 s. GOODS 0 RAILWAY CAR BRAKE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 11, 1964 f 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR. DIVA/P0 6'- 6000s A ORNE 5.

March .7, 1967 E. e. GOODS RAILWAY CAR BRAKE MECHANISM ll Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Dec. 11, 1964 March 7, 1 967 E. c. GOODS 3,307,659

RAILWAY CAR-BRAKE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 11, 1964 11. Sheets-Sheet 11 Q 0 1N vam'orz ATTOR EYS.

United States Patent RAILWAY CAR BRAKE MECHANISM Edward G. Goods, Snyder, N.Y., assignor to Buffalo Brake Beam Company, a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 417,658

- 16 Claims. (Cl. 188-59) The present invention relates to railway car brake mechanisms especially of the freight type and is an improvement upon the inventions shown and described in Busch US. Patents 2,903,096, 2,903,097 and 2,903,098.

One object of the present invention is to provide a brake mechanism of the general type described, which has a lesser number of parts and which consequently is of simpler construction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a brake mechanism of the general type described having new and improved manner of supporting certain operating parts of the mechanism from the side frame of the railway truck.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the followingdescription and from the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a railway car truck having braking mechanisms constituting one embodiment of the present invention; I

FIG. 2 is a vertical section of the railway car truck taken approximately along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section of the railway car truck taken approximately along the lines 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detail section of the railway car truck taken along the lines 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a detail section of part of one of the air motors which actuate the brake mechanisms; 1

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of another form of brakink mechanism partly in top plan view andpartly in horizontal section; 1

FIG 7 is a detail section taken on lines 7 7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view partly in top plan view and partly in horizontal section showing a further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a section taken on lines 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a detail section taken on lines 1010 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a view partly in top plan view and partly in horizontal section showing still another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1'2 is an enlargement of part of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a section taken on lines 1313 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a section taken on lines 14-14 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary front elevation of an assembly showing one embodiment of the manner in which a conventional side frame of -a truck employed in conjunction with a brake beam can be employed in connection with a type of brake mechanism shown in FIGS. 11-14;

FIG. 16 is a detail section taken along the lines 16-16 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a detail section taken along the lines 1717 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a detail section similar to that of FIG. 17 but showing a modification of details; and

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary top plan diagrammatic view showing how the air-powered brake system of the present invention can be employed in connection with a hand brake mechanism.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5 of the drawings, there is shown a railway freight car truck comprising a pair of side structures or frames 10 having respective guide openings 11 to receive the ends of a conventional truck bolster 12 extending between said frames and projecting at the ends into said openings, where they are supported on coil springs "ice (not shown) and are guided by side columns 13 of said openings for vertical shock-absorbed movement. The bolster 12 is provided at its ends with lugs 14 engaging the inboard sides of the side columns 13 of the side frames 10 and lugs (not shown) engaging the outboard side of the side columns. These lugs 14 guide the bolster 12 for vertical movement.

The bolster 12 is also provided with a center conformation 16 for direct pivotal connection to the underside of the railway bar body in a conventional manner. Between the two side frames 10 and supported thereon by suitable bearings are two parallel axles 17 carrying on opposite ends flanged car wheels 18 which ride on rails 19.

To support certain operating parts of the brake mechanism and at the same time to sustain the side frames 10 against the stresses of the braking action, there are provided two horizontal parallel equalizer bars 20 on opposite sides of the bolster 12, each bar pivotally connecting at its ends with brackets 21 integral or otherwise fixedly secured to the side frames by means of hinge pins 22.

The side frames 10 are shown of the conventional type employed with brake mechanisms having brake beams with their ends slidable in guide on the inboard sides of said side frames. In the specific form shown, these brakes beam guides are defined by the brackets 21, and since these guides usually slant downwardly towards each other, the end sections of the equalizer bars 20 are twisted to fit snugly with a pivotal slide fit in the guides formed by the brackets, while the intermediate sections of the equalizer bars are not only longitudinally horizontal but also transversely horizontal.

The equalizer bars 20 secured to the side frame brackets 21 through the hinge pins 22 as described, assist the bolster 12 in maintaining the truck side frames 10 in alignment or parallel to the respective rails. The equalizer bars 20 and the truck side frames 10 form a parallelo gram, and since these are pivotally joined through the brackets 21 and the hinge :pins 22, they operate as a paral-. lel motion permitting the side frames to shiftrelatively endwise and into limited angular positions with respect to the equalizer bars 20 when the wheels 18 are rounding a curve. The equalizer bars 20 also serve to support the weight of the brake mechanism.

The brakes for the four car wheels 18 of each car truck are operated by four similar brake head levers or brake support arms 25, each pivotally secured at one end to one of the equalizer bars 20 by means of apivot or hinge pin 26, while its other end carries a brake head 27 by means of a pivot pin 28. The brake head 27 carries a face plate with a brake shoe 31 for application to .a brake rotor or disc 32, which is affixed to the corresponding car wheel 18 on the inboard side thereof to stop said disc and which presents a brake face on its inboard side.

It is desirable to apply the brakes to the brake discs 32 in regions centered with respect to horizontal planes passing through the centers of the discs. Since the equalizer bars 20 are located below these planes because of the desirability of employing conventional side frames with their guide brackets 21 located below said planes to support these equalizer bars, each of the brake arms 25 must be shaped to accommodate this situation. For that reason, each of the brake arms 25 has an intermediate bar. The hinge pin 26 passes through the cleft end of the brake arm 25 and through the equalizer bar 20.

Power for operating tthe brakes in each car truck is derived from two similar individual axially aligned fluid power units 40 on opposite sides of the bolster 12. Each of these power units 40 is in the form of an air cylinder, rigidly secured to the corresponding equalizer bar 20 with its axis horizontal and in the vertical plane extending along the length of the truck and through the center of the bolster 12. The air cylinder 40 is supported on the corresponding equalizer bar 20 by means of a pair of legs 41 secured to said cylinder and bolted to said equalizer bar and is located so that its axis is at the same level as the horizontal plane passing through the centers of the brake discs 32. In the air cylinder 40 is a piston 42 spring-pressed inwardly towards the bolster 12 by a coil spring 43 and connected to the inner end of a piston rod 44 by a pivotal connection 45. An air inlet 46 from a source of air power connects into the inner end of the cylinder 40 and a flexible tubular cover 47 around the piston rod 44 prevents dirt from gathering on the walls of the cylinder along which the piston 42 slides. The air inlets 46 for the two air cylinders 40 are connected to a common pipe leading from the source of air power.

In stead of having the air cylinder 40 rigid with the equalizer bar 20 as described, the cylinder can be pivotally supported on the equalizer bar for angular movement about an axis transverse to the plane of said bar. In that case, the piston rod 44 can be rigid with the spring-pressed piston 42 and can pass with a sealing fit through a stuffing box in a wall closing the end of the cylinder, thereby eliminating the use of the flexible tubular cover 47.

As an important feature of the present invention, the power transmission between each air cylinder 40 and the two brake heads 27 on the same side of the bolster 12 as said air cylinder comprises a simple toggle joint linkage having two push rods 50 at an angle to each other, pivoted at their inner jointed ends to the outer end of the piston rod 44 by a knuckle joint 51 and a hinge pin 52 passing therethrough. The other outer ends of the push rods 50 are pivotally connected to the brake heads 27 and to the ends of the brake arms 25 respectively by knuckle joints 53 and binge pins 28 passing through said joints 53 respectively.

In the operation of the brake mechanisms shown in FIGS. 1-5, when the brakes are not applied, these mechanisms are in the position shown in FIG. 1, with the brake heads 27 spaced from the brake discs 32 due to the positive action of the coil springs 43 on said brake heads through the pistons 42, the push rods 50 and the brake support arms 25 carrying said brake heads. In this inactive condition of the brake mechanisms, the pistons 42 are spring-pressed against the inner ends of the air cylinders 40, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Upon application of the brakes through the opening of the air inlets 46 to the inner ends of the air cylinders 40, the pistons 42 are moved by braking air pressure outwardly in their cylinders away from the bolster 12 against the action of the springs 43, and this causes the push rods 50 to straighten out and the brake support arms 25 to turn about the axes of their pivot pins 26 in directions to apply the brake shoes 31 to the brake discs 32 with braking pressure. enormous mechanical advantage.

Since all parts of the brake mechanisms are supported from the side frame directly or indirectly, all these parts remain substantially in a horizontal position, and by applying power through the air cylinders 40, the brake shoe pressure on each of the brake discs 32 remains constant during brake application, regardless of the thick nesses of the individual brake shoes 31. Also, the brake mechanisms are so interconnected as to be stabilized and equalized in braking pressure in braking position on all four brake discs 32 of each truck in spite of any variations in the thicknesses of the brake shoes 31.

The toggle joint mechanism described affords Upon release of the air braking pressure, the compressed springs 43 in their releasing movements positively move the brake heads 27 into inoperative position away from the brake discs 32.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a modification in which side frames 10a of the truck are similar to those of FIGS. l-S, except that instead of the side frames being of the conventional type employed with brake mechanisms having brake beams with their ends slidable in guides on said side frames, the side frames are free from such guides but are otherwise similar to the side frames 10. However, for supporting the equalizer bars 20a to be described from the side frames 10a, there are provided brackets 55 flanking the bolster 12 and rigidly connected to the side frames on opposite sides of the bolster guide openings 11a on said side frames at a level approximately that of the horizontal plane passing through the centers of the brake discs 32a. The brackets 55 can be forged or pressed and welded to the side columns 13a of the side frames 10a, and each bracket is in the form of an L having a short leg 56 rigidly connected to the corresponding side column and a longer bracket leg 57, extending inwardly and transversely of said side frame substantially midway between the bolster and the adjacent car wheel 18 and each terminating in a pair of vertically spaced jaws 58 straddling the adjacent end of the corresponding equalizer bar 20a.

Each of the equalizer bars 20a comprises two similar horizontal axially aligned tubular sections rigidly joined by welding at their inner ends to the corresponding air cylinder 40a vertically centered with respect to said tubular sections and pivotally connected at their outer ends to the long bracket legs 57 by pivot pins 60 passing through the bracket jaws 58 and the equalizer bar, to form hinge connections between the equalizer bar and the side frames 10a.

The brake support arms 25a are similar to the brake arms 25 in the construction of FIGS. 1-5, except that they are especially designed for accommodation with the equalizer bars 20a of tubular shape. For that purpose, each brake support arm 25a is of I-cross-section and has upper and lower flanges 61 straddling at one end the equalizer bar 20a. Between these flanges 61 and passing diametrically through the equalizer bar 20a is a sleeve 62 welded or otherwise rigidly aflixed to said equalizer bar. A pivot pin 63 passes through the brake arm flanges 61 and through the sleeve 62.

Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the flanges 61 at the other end of the brake support arm 2511 are two sleeves 64 respectively receiving therebetween one end of the push rod 50a and located between lugs 66 on the brake head 27a and a pivot pin 28a passing through said lugs, said sleeves and said rod end form therewith a knuckle joint.

The construction of the brake mechanisms of FIGS. 6 and 7, except as described, is similar to that of FIGS. 15 and the operation is similar to that of FIGS. l-S.

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 show a modified construction in which the brake arms 25 in the construction of FIGS. l-5, pivoted to the equalizer bars 20 and pivotally carrying the brake heads 27, are replaced by guides 70 for the toggle joint push rods 50b. Each of these guides 70 comprises a pair of parallel horizontal bars 71 and 72 separated by a spacer 73 to form therebetween a guide space 74. These bars 71 and 72 are rigidly connected to the corresponding equalizer bar 20b by means of studs 75 passing through said bars and said spacer and threaded into said equalizer bar 20b. 'The lower bar 72 has rigid therewith near its outer end a pair of rounded projections 69 forming therebetween an opening for guiding the corresponding push rod 50b therethrough. The guide 70 thereby helps support the push rod 50b as well as the brake head 27b, which is pivotally secured to the outer end of said push rod by a pivot pin 28b. The push rods ends of the equalizer bar.

50b are consequently maintained horizontal in their brake applying and releasing movements.

Except as described, the construction of the brake mechanisms of FIGS. 8, 9 and is similar to those of FIGS. 1-5. The operatiton of the brake mechanisms of FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 is believed obvious from the description of the operation of the brake mechanisms of FIGS. 1-5.

FIGS. 11, 12, 13 and 14 show a modification in which the brake support arms 25 in the construction of FIGS. 1-5 are replaced by brake arms 25c pivoted to brackets 550 to which the equalizer bars 200 arepivotally connected. The side frames 100 are similar in construction to those of FIGS. 6 and 7, and the brackets 55c are similar to the brackets 55 in said construction of FIGS. 6 and 7 and similarly flank the bolster 12. These brackets 55c rigidly connect into the side frames 100 on opposite sides of the bolster guide openings 110 on said side frames by welding or other suitable means and at a level approximately that of the horizontal plane passing through the center of the brake discs 32. Each of these brackets 55c is L-shaped and has a short leg 56c rigidly connected to the corresponding side column 13c of the side frame 100 and a longer leg 57c extending inwardly and transversely of said side frame between the bolster and the adjacent car wheel 18 and each terminating in a pair of vertically spaced jaw arms 78 and 79.

Each brake arm 250 is L-shape and has one leg 80 pivotally connected to'the end of the bracket leg 570 by a hinge or pivot pin 81 to permit said brake arm to move horizontally about the axis of said pivot pin into and out of braking position and its other leg 82 pivotally carrying at its end by means of a pivot pin 28c the brake 'head 27c, similar to the brake head 27 in the construction of FIGS. 1-5. I

The brake arms 250 are supported and steadied in their horizontal movements into and out of horizontal position, to prevent the application of destructive stresses to different parts of themechanism and especially to the hinge pin 81, and the braking forces tending to distort the side frames 10c inwardly out of parallelism and out of alignment with the wheel journals are resisted, while permitting said side frames to shift relatively endwise as the wheels 18 round a curve. To that end, there are provided thetwo horizontal equalizer bars 200 on opposite sides of the bolster 12, each bar pivotally connecting with the two side frame brackets 550 on the corresponding side of the bolster. For securing each equalizer b'ar 20c to the corresponding pair of side frame brackets 55c, the two hinge pins 81, which pivotally connect the corresponding t-wo brake arms 250 to said brackets, also pass through the To provide the hinge connec tion between a side frame bracket 55c and a corresponding brake head arm 250 in a manner to permit pivotal anchoring of one end of the equalizer bar 20c to said connection", the bracket jaw arms 78 and 79 straddle a projection 87 on the brake arm to form a knuckle joint therewith, and said jaw arms and projections are retained in interconnected pivotal relationship by the hinge pin 81 passing through openings in said jaw arms and projection. The equalizer bar 200 is in the form of an angle one leg 88 of which is seated at each end upon the lower jaw arm 79 of the corresponding side frame bracket 55c and at said end has a hole through which the corresponding hinge pin 81 passes.

The brake mechanisms of FIGS. 11, 12, 13 and 14 include a pair of air cylinders 40c for operating toggle joint linkages 50c, 500 by which braking power is transmitted to the brake arms 25c in the manner similar to that described in connection with the construction of FIGS. 1-5. To provide proper connections between the push rods 50c of said toggle joint linkages and the brake arms 250, each of these brake arms has an offset 90 extending integrally from the outer end of the leg 82 of said brake arm, and the outer end of each push rod 500 6v is pivotally connected to the outer end of this extension offset by a pivot pin 91. Each bnake head 27c is pivotally connected to the elbow of the corresponding brake arm 250 at the intersection of the arm leg 82 and the extension offset of said brake arm by the pivot pin 28c.

Except as otherwise described, the construction of FIGS. 11, 12, 13 and 14 is similar to that of FIGS. 1-5 and its operation is similar except as will be described.

In the operation of the brake mechanism of FIGS. 11- 14, when the air fluid pressure is admitted into the air cylinders 400, the push rods 500 of the toggle joint linkage tend to straighten out and this causes the brake arms 25c to pivot about the axes of the pivot pins 81, causing the brake heads 27c carried by these brake arms to move into braking position with respect to the brake discs 32, so that the railway car is immobilized.

It should be noted that whenever the brakes are applied to the brake discs 32 on the car wheels 18, the push on the brake arms 250 through the push rods 50c tend to pull on the side frame brackets 55c inwardly in a direction transverse to the side frames -10c and to exert bending forces on said brackets tending to break them away from said side frames to which they are rigidly secured. Also, the inward pulls on the side frame brackets "55c are transmitted to the side frames 10c tending to move these frames inwardly in an inboard direction out of alignment with or out of proper position with respect to the wheel journals. Since the bolster 12 is provided at its ends with lugs 14 engaging the side columns 13c of the side frames 100 for vertical guided movement therealong, these lugs permit the bolster to be used to a certain extent as a compression member holding the side frames in correct position on the center lines of the wheel journals, but these lugs may be insufficient for this purpose, unless they are increased in size from conventional practice to add sufiicient strength to the bolster to accept this compressive action. The equalizer bars 200 secured to the side frame brackets 55c through the hinge pins 81 as described, assist the bolster 12 in maintaining the truck side frames 10c in alignment or parallel to the respective r-ails.

It is desirable under certain conditions to apply the brake mechanisms of FIGS. 11-14 to a truck having side frames 10 of the conventional type now employed in connection with standard brake mechanisms having brake beams with their ends slidable in and along guides 21 in said side frame 10, as described in connection with the construction of FIGS. l-S. FIGS. 15-17 show how the brake mechanisms of FIGS. 11-14 can be applied to such conventional side frames 10.

Each of the guides 21 constitutes a U-shaped flange integral with the inboard side of the corresponding side frame 10 and turned to define a guide recess 96 sloping downwardly towards the center vertical lonigtudinal plane of the bolster. Two of such guides 21 are provided symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the bolster.

To pivotally support brake arms 250 similar to those shown in the construction of FIGS. 1ll4, there are provided adapters 100 designed according to the sizes of trucks, so that the brake mechanisms of the present invention can be employed, for example, for 50-ton, 70-ton and 100-ton trucks, and for 28", 33", 36", 40 etc. size wheels. These adapters 100 constitute brackets, each having an upper horizontal jaw 101 and a lower horizontal jaw 102 extending in superposed relationship in inboard direction from the inner face of an upright wall 103 and having a pair of parallel reinforcing upright ribs 104 extending in an outboard direction from the outer face of said upright wall. Extending in an outboard direction from the outer side of this upright wall 103 is a projection or tongue 105 fitted snugly into the corresponding guide recess 96 and firmly secured therein. To assure the proper positioning of the bracket or adapter 100 according to the size of the truck and the size of its wheels, a stop or filler 106 is welded in the guide recess 96 and the tongue or projection 1115 abutting said stop is welded to said stop and to the guide 21. A pin 107 passing through the upper and lower flange walls of the guide 21 and through the tongue 105 maybe used to assure firm connection between the bracket and the side frame 10.

A projection 110 8 integral with the lower wall of the guide 21 serves as a stop for the bracket or adapter 100 resisting movement of the bracket along the guide in a slanting downward direction.

The elevation of the lower jaw 102 of the bracket 100 depends on the size of the truck and the size of its car wheels. The thickness of the stops 106 determines the extent to which the brackets "100 project in an inboard direction from the side frames 10.

FIG. 18 shows a modification, which eliminates the use of a stop or filler, such as the stop 96 in FIGS. 15, 1 6 and 17, and which employs instead a tongue 105a corresponding to the tongue 105 of FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 but long enough to reach the back of the guide recess 96. The length of the tongue 105a determines the extent to which the bracket jaws 10-1 and 102 project in an inboard direction from the side frames.

The brake system described can be operated in conjunction with a hand brake system as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 19. This hand brake system shown in conjunction with the air-powered brake system of FIGS. 15, comprises an upright lever 110 pivotally connected at its upper end to a pull rod 111 operated from a handcontrolled device (not shown), such as a bell crank and worm, and having its intermediate section pivotally connected to one end of a link 112, the other end being pivotally connected to the other end of one of the piston rods 42, where it pivotally joins the push rods 50. The other lower end of the lever 1 1 0 is pivotally connected to one end of a connecting rod 113 passing underneath the bolster '12 from one side thereof to the other side where it pivotally connects at its other end to the lower end of an upright lever 114, its upper end being pivotally connected at .1115 to the car body bolster 116. The intermediate section of the lever '114 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 117, the other end being pivotally connected to the outer end of the adjacent piston rod 42, where it pivotally joins the adjacent push rods 50.

In the operation of the hand brake system shown in FIG. 19, when the rod 111 is pulled to the right, the lever 110 rotates clockwise about its lower pivotal support with the connecting rod 113, causing the link 1 12 to be drawn to the right against the action of the spring acting on the piston in the corresponding air cylinder 411, and causing thereby the corresponding toggle push rods 50 to straighten out and the brakes to be applied to the two brake discs on the two axially aligned car wheels. When the link 1 12 has been drawn to the right as far as it will go, continued pull on the rod 111 to the right, will cause the lever 110 to rotate clockwise about its pivotal connection with the link 1'12, causing the connecting rod 113 to be shifted to the left. This causes the lever 1114 to rotate clockwise about its pivotal connection at 115 to the car body bolster 116, and this will cause the link 117 to be drawn to the left against the action of the spring action on the piston in the corresponding air cylinder 40, causing thereby the corresponding toggle push rods 50 to straighten out and the brakes to be applied to the brake discs on the car wheels.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to specific embodiments, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited thereto but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway car truck, the combination comprising side frames for the truck, a pair of coaxial car wheels supported on said side frames respectively, a pair of brake discs rigid with said wheels respectively for rotation therewith, a toggle joint mechanism extending between said wheels and comprising two rod-s articulated at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in directions to bring said rods towards and away from alignment, and comprising a brake support arm in the form of a lever for each rod, means for pivotally supporting one end of said brake support arm at a substantially fixed point with respect to said side frames, and means for pivotally connecting the other end of said brake support arm to the corresponding rod near said other end of the later rod, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said brake heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, means for applying braking pressure to said toggle joint in a direction tending to bring said rods towards alignment, and transmission means between said other ends of said rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads towards said brake discs respectively into braking positions as said rods move towards alignment and for moving said brake heads away from said brake discs respectively, as said rods move away from alignment.

2. :In a railway car truck, the combination comprising side frames for the truck, a bar extending between said side frames and connected at the ends to said side frames respectively, a pair of coaxial car wheels supported on said side frames respectively, a pair of brake discs rigid with said wheels respectively for rotation therewith, a toggle joint mechanism extending between said wheels and comprising two rods articulated at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in directions to bring said rods towards and away from alignment, and comprising a brake support arm for each rod connected at one end to said bar and movably supporting the corresponding rod near said other end of the latter rod, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said bra'ke heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, means for applying braking pressure to said toggle joint in a direction tending to bring said rods towards alignment, and transmission means between said other ends of said rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads towards said brake discs respectively into braking positions as said rods move towards alignment and for moving said brake heads away from said brake discs respectively, as said rods move away from alignment.

3. In a railway car truck, the combination comprising side frames for the truck, a bar extending between said side frames and connected at the ends to said side frames respectively, a pair of coaxial car wheels supported on said side frames respectively, a pair of brake discs rigid with said wheels respectively for rotation therewith, a toggle joint mechanism extending between said wheels and comprising two rods articulated at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in directions to bring said rods towards and away from alignment, and comprising a brake support arm for each rod pivotally connected at one end to said bar and pivotally connected at its other end to the corresponding rod near said other end of the latter rod, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said brake heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, means for applying braking pressure to said toggle joint in a direction tending to bring said rods towards alignment, and transmissions means between said other ends of said rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads towards said brake discs respectively into braking positions as said rods move towards alignment and for moving said brake heads away from said brake discs respectively, as said rods move away from alignment.

, 4. In a railway car truck, the combination comprising side frames for the truck, a bar extending between said side frames and connected at the ends to said side frames respectively, a pair of coaxial car wheels supported on said side frames respectively, a pair of brake discs rigid with said wheels respectively for rotation therewith, a toggle joint mechanism extending between said wheels and comprising two rods articulated at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in directions to bring said rods towards and away from alignment, and comprising a brake support arm for each rod fixedly connected at one end to said bar and having a slide rod supporting connection at its other end to the corresponding rod near said other end of the latter rod, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said brake heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, means for applying braking pressure to said toggle joint in a direction tending to bring said rods towardsalignment, and transmission means between said other ends of said rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads towards said brake discs respectively into braking positions as said rods move towards alignment and for moving said brake heads away from said brake discs respectively, as said rods move away from alignment.

5. In a railway car truck, the combination comprising side frames for the truck, a bar extending between said side frames and connected at the ends to said side frames respectively, a pair of coaxial car wheels supported on said side frames respectively, a pair of brake discs rigid with said wheels respectively for rotation therewith, a toggle joint mechanism extending between said wheels and comprising two rods articulated "at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in a direction to bring said rods towards and away from alignment, and comprising a brake support arm for each rod pivotally connected at one end to the corresponding side frame and pivotally connected at its other end to the corresponding rod near said other end of the latter rod, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said brake heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, means for applying braking pressure to said toggle joint in a direction tending to bring said rods towards alignment, and transmission means between said other ends of said rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads towards said brake discs respectively into braking positions as said rods move towards alignment and for moving said brake heads away from said brake discs respectively, as said rods move away from alignment.

6. In a railway car truck, the combination comprising side frames for the truck, a bar extending between said side frames and connected at the ends to said side frames respectively, a pair of coaxial car wheels supported on said side frames respectively, a pair of brake discs rigid with said wheelsrespectivelyfor rotation therewith, a toggle joint mechanism extending between said wheels and comprising two rods articulated at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in directions to bring said rods towards and away from alignment, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said brake heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, means for applying braking pressure to said toggle joint in a direction tending to bring said rods towards alignment, comprising an air cylinder secured to and supported from said bar opposite said toggle joint and having a piston and a piston rod connected to said toggle joint, and transmission means between said other ends of said articulated rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads towards said brake discs respectively into braking positions as said rods articulated move towards alignment and for moving said braking heads away from said brake discs respectively as said articulated rods move away from alignment.

7. In a railway car truck, the combination comprising side frames for the truck, a bar extending between said side frames and connected at the ends to said side frames respectively, a pair of coaxial car 'wheels supported on said side frames respectively, a pair of brake discs rigid with said wheels respectively for rotation therewith, a toggle joint mechanism extending between said wheels and comprising two rods articulated at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in directions to bring'said rods towards and away from alignment and comprising a brake support arm for each rod connected at one end to said bar and movably supporting the corresponding rod near said other end of the latter rod, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said brake heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, means for applying braking pressure to said toggle joint in a direction tending to bring said rods towards alignment, and comprising an air cylinder secured to and supported from said bar opposite said toggle joint and having a piston rod connected to said toggle joint, and transmission means between said other ends of said articulated rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads towards said brake discs respectively into braking positions as said articulated rods move towards alignment-and for moving said brake heads away from said brake discs respectively as said articulated rods move away from alignment.

8. In a railway car truck, the combination of a pair of opposed side frames extending along the longitudinal direction of the truck, four wheels supported on said side frames with two wheels on each side of the truck and with each wheel on one side coaxial with a corresponding wheel on the opposite side, the axes of said wheels extending parallel between said side frames and transverse to said longitudinal direction, a truck bolster extending between said side frames for support from said side frames and located between the two pairs of coaxial wheels, 2. pair of parallel equalizing bars on opposite sides of said bolster, extending between said side frames and pivotally connected at their ends to said side frames, means for applying brakes to the wheels comprising brake discs on the inboard sides of the wheels respectively rigid with the wheels for rotation therewith and presenting brake faces on their inboard sides, a pair of toggle joint mechanisms extending between said side frames on opposite sides of said bolster, each of said mechanisms comprising two rods articulated at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, and extending generally in directions transverse to said longitudinal direction, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in directions to bring said rods towards and away from alignment, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said brake heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, means for applying braking pressures to said toggle joints in opposite directions tending to straighten out said toggle joints and thereby to bring the rods in each toggle joint mechanism towards alignment, and comprising two air cylinders, supported on said equalizer bars respectively and located with their axes aligned and extending in said longitudinal direction, a piston in each of said cylinders and a piston rod for each of said pistons connected to the toggle joint of the corresponding toggle joint mechanism, and transmission means between said other ends of said rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads toward said brake discs respectively, into braking positions as the rods in each toggle joint mechanism move towards alignment and for moving said brake heads away from said brake discs respectively as the rods in each toggle joint mechanism move away from alignment.

9. In a railway car truck, the combination as described in claim 8, said equalizer bars being in flat form. r

10. In a railway car truck, the combination as described in claim 8, said equalizer bars being in tubular form.

11. In a railway car truck, the combination of a pair of opposed side frames extending along the longitudinal direction of the truck, four wheels supported on said side frames with two wheels on each side of the truck and with each wheel on one side coaxial with a corresponding wheel on the opposite side, the axes of said wheels extending parallel between said side frames and transverse to said longitudinal direction, a truck bolster extending between said side frames for support from said side frames and located between the two pairs of coaxial wheels, each of said side frames being of the type employed in connection with brake beams having their ends slidable in guides on the inboard sides of said side frames, each of said side frames having two brackets on opposite sides of said bolster defining said guides, a pair of parallel equalizing bars on opposite sides of said bolster, extending between said side frames and having their ends pivotally connected to said brackets respectively, means for applying brakes to the wheels comprising brake discs on the inboard sides of the wheels respectively rigid with the wheels for rotation therewith and presenting brake faces on their inboard sides, a pair of toggle joint mechanisms extending between said side frames on opposite sides of said bolster, each of said mechanisms comprising two rods articulated at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, and extending generally in directions transverse to said longitudinal direction, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in directions to bring said rods towards and away from alignment, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said brake heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, means for applying braking pressures to said toggle joints in opposite directions tending to straighten out said toggle joints and thereby to bring the rods in each toggle joint mechanism towards alignment, and comprising two air cylinders, supported on said equalizer bars respectively and located with their axes aligned and extending in said longitudinal direction, a piston in each of said cylinders and a piston rod for each of said pistons connected to the toggle joint of the corresponding toggle joint mechanism, and transmission means between said other ends of said rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads towards said brake discs respectively into braking positions as the rods in each toggle joint mechanism move towards alignment and for moving said brake heads away from said brake discs respectively as the rods in each toggle joint mechanism move away from alignment.

12. In a railway car truck, the combination of a pair of opposed side frames extending along the longitudinal direction of the truck, four wheels supported on said side frames with two wheels on each side of the truck and with each wheel on one side coaxial with a corresponding wheel on the opposite side, the axes of said wheels extending parallel between said side frames and transverse to said longitudinal direction, a truck bolster extending between said side frames for support from said side frames and located between the two pairs of coaxial wheels, a pair of parallel equalizing bars on opposite sides of said bolster extending between said side frames and pivotally connected at their ends to said side frames, means for applying brakes to the wheels comprising brake discs on the inboard sides of the wheels respectively rigid with the wheels for rotation therewith and presenting brake faces on their inboard sides, a pair of toggle joint mechanisms extending between said side frames on opposite sides of said bolster, each of said mechanisms comprising two rods articulated at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, said extending generally in directions transverse to said longitudinal direction, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in directions to bring said rods towards and away from alignment, and comprising a brake support arm for each rod pivotally connected at one end to the corresponding equalizer bar and pivotally connected at its other end to the corresponding rod near said other end of the latter rod, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said brake heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, saidbrake heads being pivotally supported on said rods and said brake support arms where said brake support arms are pivotally connected to said rods, and means for applying braking pressures to said toggle joints in opposite directions tending to straighten out said toggle joints and thereby to bring the rods in each toggle joint mechanism toward alignment, and comprising two air cylinders, supported on said equalizer bars respectively and located with their axes aligned and extending in said longitudinal direction, a piston in each of said cylinders and a piston rod for each of said pistons connected to the toggle joint of the corresponding toggle joint mechanism, and transmissions means between said other ends of said rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads towards said brake discs respectively into braking positions as the rods in each toggle joint mechanism move towards alignment and for moving said brake heads away from said brake discs respectively as the rods in each toggle joint mechanism move away from alignment.

13. In a railway car truck, the combination of a pair of opposed side frames extending along the longitudinal direction of the truck, four wheels supported on said side frames with two wheels on each side of the truck and with each wheel on one side coaxial with a corresponding wheel on the opposite side, the axes of said wheels extending parallel between said side frames and transverse to said longitudinal direction, a truck bolster extending between said side frames for support from said side frames and located between the two pairs of coaxial wheels, a pair of parallel equalizing bars on opposite sides of said bolster, extending between said side frames and pivotally connected at their ends to said side frames, means for applying brakes to the wheels comprising brake discs on the inboard sides of the wheels respectively rigid with the wheels for rotation therewith and presenting brake faces on their inboard sides, a pair of toggle joint mechanisms extending between said side frames on opposite sides of said bolster, each of said mechanisms comprising two rods articulated at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, and extending generally in directions transverse to said longitudinal direction, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in directions to bring said rods towards and away from alignment, and comprising a brake support arm for each rod, rigidly connected at one end to the corresponding equalizer bar and having a slide rod supporting connection at its other end to the corresponding rod near said other end of the latter rod, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said brake heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, means I for applying braking pressures to said toggle joints in opposite directions tending to straighten out said toggle joints and thereby to bring the rods in each toggle joint mechanism towards alignment, and comprising two air cylinders supported on said equalizer bars respectively and located with their axes aligned and extending in said longitudinal direction, a piston in each of said cylinders and a piston rod for each piston connected to the toggle joint of the corresponding toggle joint mechanism, and transmission means between said other ends of said rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads towards said brake discs respectively into braking positions as the rods in each toggle joint mechanism move towards alignment and for moving said brake heads away from said brake discs respectively as the rods in each toggle joint mechanism move away from alignment.

14. In a railway car truck, the combination of a pair of opposed side frames extending along the longitudinal direction of the truck, four wheels supported on said side frames with two wheels on each side of the truck and with each wheel on one side coaxial with a corresponding wheel on the opposite side, the axes of said wheels extending parallel between said side frames and transverse to said longitudinal direction, a truck bolster extending between said side frames for support from said side frames and located between the two pairs of coaxial wheels, a pair of parallel equalizing bars on opposite sides of said bolster, extending between said side frames and pivotally connected at their ends to said side frames, means for applying brakes to the wheels comprising brake discs on the inboard sides of the wheels respectively rigid with the wheels for rotation therewith and presenting brake faces on their inboard sides, a pair of toggle joint mechanisms extending between said side frames on opposite sides of said bolster, each of said mechanisms comprising two rods articulated at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, and extending generally in directions transverse to said longitudinal direction, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in directions to bring said rods towards and away from alignment, and comprising an L-shaped brake support arm for each rod having one leg pivotally connected to the corresponding side frame in the region where the corresponding equalizer bar pivotally connects into the latter side frame and having a leg extending generally along said transverse direction between the bolster and the corresponding car wheel and another leg extending generally in said longitudinal direction on the inboard side of the brake disc for the latter car wheel, said rods being pivotally connected at said other ends to the longitudinally extending legs of said brake support arms respectively, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said brake heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, means for applying braking pressures to said toggle joints in opposite directions tending to straighten out said toggle joints and thereby to bring the rods in each toggle joint mechanism towards alignment, and transmission means between said other ends of said rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads towards said brake discs respectively into braking position as the rods in each toggle joint mechanism move towards alignment and for moving said brake heads away from said brake discs respectively as the rods in each toggle joint mechanism move away from alignment.

15. In a railway car truck, the combination of a pair of opposed side frames extending along the longitudinal direction of the truck, four wheels supported on said side frames with two wheels on each side of the truck and with each wheel on one side coaxial with a corresponding wheel on the opposite side, the axes of said wheels extending parallel between said side frames and transverse to said lonigtudinal direction, a truck bolster extending between said side frames for support from said side frames and located between the two pair of coaxial wheels, means for applying brakes to the wheels comprising brake discs on the inboard sides of the wheels respectively rigid with the wheels for rotation therewith and presenting brake faces on their inboard sides, a pair of toggle joint mechanisms extending between said side frames on opposite sides of said bolster, each of said mechanisms comprising two rods articulated at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, and extending generally in directions transverse to said longitudinal direction, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in directions to bring said rods towards and away from alignment, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said brake heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, means for applying braking pressures to said toggle joints in opposite directions tending to straighten out said toggle joints and thereby to bring the rods in each toggle joint mechanism towards alignment, and transmissions means between said other ends of said rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads towards said brake discs respectively into braking positions as the rodsin each toggle joint mechanism move towards alignment and for moving said brake heads away from said brake discs respectively as the rods in each toggle joint mechanism move away from alignment, each of said side frames being of the type employed in connection with brake beams having their ends slida-ble in guides on the inboard sides of said side frames, each of said side frames having two guides on opposite sides of the bolster, each constituting a pair of opposed spaced flanges integral with the inboard side of the side frame and defining therebetween a guide recess, an adapter for each of said guide recesses in the form of a bracket, each having an upright wall, an upper substantially horizontal jaw and a lower substantially horizontal jaw both extending in an inboard direction from said upright wall, and a tongue on the outboard side of saidupright wall fitted in the corresponding guide recess and firmly secured therein, said means for confining the movements of said other ends of the rods comprising an L-shaped brake support arm for each rod having one leg extending at its outer end between the jaws of the corresponding adapter and pivotally secured at the latter end to said jaws, said leg extending generally along said transverse direction between the bolster and the corresponding car wheel, each of said brake support arms also having another leg extending generally in said longitudinal direction on the inboard side of the brake disc for the latter car wheel, said rods being pivotally connected at said other ends to the longitudinally extending legs of said brake support arms respectively.

16. In a railway car truck, the combination of a pair of opposed side frames extending along the longitudinal direction of the truck, four wheels supported on said side frames with two wheels on each side of the truck and with each wheel on one side coaxial with a corresponding wheel on the opposite side, the axes of said wheels extending parallel between said side frames and transverse to said longitudinal direction, a truck bolster extending between said side frames for support from said side frames and located between the two pairs of coaxial wheels, means for applying brakes to the wheels comprising brake discs on the inboard sides of the wheels respectively rigid with the wheels for rotation therewith and presenting brake faces on their inboard sides, a pair of toggle joint mechanisms extending between said side frames on opposite sides of said bolster, each of said mechanisms comprising two rods articuated at adjoining ends out of alignment to form a toggle joint therebetween, and extending generally in directions transverse to said longitudinal direction, and means for confining the movements of the other ends of the rods in directions to bring said rods towards and away from alignment, brake heads for said brake discs respectively, means supporting said brake heads for movements towards and away from said brake discs respectively, means for applying braking pressures to said toggle joints in opposite directions tending to straighten out said toggle joints and thereby to bring the rods in each toggle joint mechanism towards alignment and comprising two air cylinders, located with their axes aligned and extending in said longitudinal direction, a piston in each of said cylinders and a piston rod for each of said pistons connected to the toggle joint of the corersponding toggle joint mechanism, said car truck also comprising alternative hand-operated means for applying wheel braking pressures to said toggle joints comprising an upright lever on one side of said bolster, a manually operated pull rod pivotally connected to the upper end of said upright lever, a pivoted link connection between the intermediate section of said upright lever and the toggle joint of the toggle joint mechanism on said one side of said bolster, a connecting rod pivotally connected at one end to the lower end of said upright lever and extending generally along said longitudinal direction, a second upright lever on the other side of said bolster having its upper end pivotally secured to a member secured to a car body, and its lower end pivotally connected to the other end of said connecting rod, and a pivotal link connection between the intermediate section of said second upright lever and the toggle joint of the toggle joint mechanism on the other side of said bolster, and transmission means between said other ends of said rods and said brake heads for moving said brake heads towards said brake discs respectively into braking positions as the rods in each toggle joint mechanism move towards alignment and for moving said brake heads away from said brake discs respectively as the rods in each toggle joint mechanism move away from alignment.

Reterences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 310,435 1/1885 Huber l8859 2,903,097 9/1959 Busch l8859 DUANE A. REGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A RAILWAY CAR TRUCK, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING SIDE FRAMES FOR THE TRUCK, A PAIR OF COAXIAL CAR WHEELS SUPPORTED ON SAID SIDE FRAMES RESPECTIVELY, A PAIR OF BRAKE DISCS RIGID WITH SAID WHEELS RESPECTIVELY FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, A TOGGLE JOINT MECHANISM EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID WHEELS AND COMPRISING TWO RODS ARTICULATED AT ADJOINING ENDS OUT OF ALIGNMENT TO FORM A TOGGLE JOINT THEREBETWEEN, AND MEANS FOR CONFINING THE MOVEMENTS OF THE OTHER ENDS OF THE RODS IN DIRECTIONS TO BRING SAID RODS TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM ALIGNMENT, AND COMPRISING A BRAKE SUPPORT ARM IN THE FORM OF A LEVER FOR EACH ROD, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING ONE END OF SAID BRAKE SUPPORT ARM AT A SUBSTANTIALLY FIXED POINT WITH RESPECT TO SAID SIDE FRAMES, AND MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE OTHER END OF SAID BRAKE SUPPORT ARM TO THE CORRESPONDING ROD NEAR SAID OTHER END OF THE LATER ROD, BRAKE HEADS FOR SAID BRAKE DISCS RESPECTIVELY, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID BRAKE HEADS FOR MOVEMENTS TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM SAID BRAKE DISCS RESPECTIVELY, MEANS FOR APPLYING BRAKING PRESSURE TO SAID TOGGLE JOINT IN A DIRECTION TENDING TO BRING SAID RODS TOWARDS ALIGNMENT, AND TRANSMISSION MEANS BETWEEN SAID OTHER ENDS OF SAID RODS AND SAID BRAKE HEADS FOR MOVING SAID BRAKE HEADS TOWARDS SAID BRAKE DISCS RESPECTIVELY INTO BRAKING POSITIONS AS SAID RODS MOVE TOWARDS ALIGNMENT AND FOR MOVING SAID BRAKE HEADS AWAY FROM SAID BRAKE DISCS RESPECTIVELY, AS SAID RODS MOVE AWAY FROM ALIGNMENT. 